A Scandal in Bavaria: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure
by ADiamondoraButterfly
Summary: In 1886, King Ludwig II of Bavaria (builder of Germany's most famous fairy-tale castle), died under incredibly suspicious circumstances. His cabinet had been scheming to remove him from the throne for some time. The king knew he had enemies. What if he'd consulted the great detective Sherlock Holmes? NOTE: I promise I haven't forgotten about this story!
1. Chapter 1

"Watson," said Holmes to me one warm June evening, "since you are good enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you may be interested in this." He threw over a sheet of thick notepaper which had been lying open upon the table. "It came by the last post," said he. "Read it aloud."

The note was undated, and without either signature or address. I began to peruse it.

"It is in German!" I said.

"Yes," said Holmes dryly, "What else?"

"There will call upon you to-night, after eleven o'clock," I translated, "a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a matter of the very deepest moment. We believe that you are one who may safely be trusted with matters of the utmost importance. This account of you we have from all quarters received."

"There are several unusual points here," said Holmes.

"This is indeed a mystery," I remarked. "What do you imagine that it means?"

He smiled. "What do you deduce from the note?"

I carefully examined the writing, and the paper upon which it was written.

"The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, endeavouring to imitate my companion's processes. "Such paper could not be bought under half a crown a packet. It is peculiarly strong and stiff."

"Peculiar—that is the very word," said Holmes. "It is not an English paper at all. It only remains to discover what is wanted by this German- or, as I suspect, this Bavarian- who writes upon costly paper and prefers to come in the middle of the night. And here he comes, if I am not mistaken, to resolve all our doubts."

As he spoke there was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs and grating wheels against the curb, followed by a sharp pull at the bell. Holmes whistled.

"A pair, by the sound," said he. "Yes," he continued, glancing out of the window. "A brougham. Not nearly as elegant as one would expect from the notepaper, though. At last this is getting interesting."

"I think that I had better go, Holmes."

"Not a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my Boswell."

"But your client—"

"Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he. Here he comes. Sit down in that armchair, Doctor, and give us your best attention."

A slow and nervous step, which had been heard upon the stairs and in the passage, paused immediately outside the door. Then there was a soft tap.

"Come in!" said Holmes.

A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet in height. He wore an ordinary traveling-suit, of a quality which contrasted strongly with that of the notepaper we had just examined. However, his appearance was in all other respects remarkable. He wore an elaborate beard and goatee of a style which had not come into fashion in England, and his eyes were a peculiarly vivid shade of view. He had grown stout, but his features must once have been handsome.

"Good evening," he said in English, but it was obvious that exhausted his knowledge of the language. "I am very glad to see you here," he said, reverting to his mother tongue. "Did you receive my note?"

"Pray take a seat," said Holmes. "This is my friend and colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me in my cases. Whom have I the honour to address?"

"Danke schön, Mr. Holmes." The man remained standing, as though he still had not made up his mind whether to remain. He was evidently in the very greatest distress. "You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bavarian nobleman. I understand that this gentleman, your friend, is a man of honour and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most extreme importance?"

I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me back into my chair. "You may say before this gentleman anything which you may say to me," he told the count.

"I trust your discretion," said the nobleman. "Now, I must begin by binding you both to absolute secrecy."

"I promise," said Holmes.

"And I."

"I confess that the title by which I have just called myself is not exactly my own."

"I was aware of it," said Holmes dryly.

"The circumstances I have come to consult you about are of great delicacy. The matter implicates the House of Wittelsbach, kings of Bavaria."

"I was also aware of that," murmured Holmes, settling himself down in his armchair. He looked impatiently at his nervous, towering client. "If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," he remarked, "I should be better able to advise you."

The man made as though to run for the door, but instead turned and began pacing up and down the room in uncontrollable agitation. "You are right," he cried at last, pausing in front of Holmes. "I am the King. Why should I attempt to conceal it?"

"Why, indeed?" murmured Holmes. "Your Majesty had not spoken before I was aware that I was addressing Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm, King of Bavaria."

Our visitor sank into a chair and passed his hands over his finely molded forehead. "The matter I wish to consult you about is so delicate that I could not confide it to an agent without putting myself in his power. I have come incognito from my home, Neuschwanstein Castle, for the purpose of consulting you."

"Then, pray consult," said Holmes, shutting his eyes once more.

"Mr. Holmes, I fear someone is plotting to murder me."


	2. Chapter 2

"I wish you would accompany me back to Neuschwanstein and see if you can do anything to expose any assassination attempts," the King went on. You would have the finest accommodation I can offer, and be handsomely paid for any assistance you are able to give."

"Your case does not interest me," said Holmes.

The king looked astounded. "Mr. Holmes!"

"Good evening."

The king's brow furrowed menacingly. "If you continue to treat me in this flippant manner, I shall send for my guards who are awaiting me outside the door."

Holmes stifled a yawn. "Your Majesty has come alone."

The king sighed, defeated. "Will you at least tell me why you scorn my case?"

"Because from what you have told me, I do not believe Your Majesty to be in any real danger."

"How can you say that?" the king demanded.

"I do not wish to appear indelicate, but Your Majesty has a reputation for insanity," Holmes pointed out.

"Ah! You are aware of those rumors! And so you think my fears are nothing but the ramblings of a madman!"

"No," said Holmes, "I merely mean that it would be easy enough to make a trumped-up psychological report confirming this rumor and force you to abdicate 'for the good of the kingdom', as I believe the phrase goes. In fact, I am told such a report is already being created."

"Yes. What of it?" the king demanded angrily.

"Well, then, if there exists so straightforward a path to removing Your Majesty from the throne, why should any of your enemies wish to murder you? Surely that would be an unnecessary risk. So you see, I do not believe you to be in danger of being murdered."

"It is not my throne they are after. It is my personal holdings- my lands and properties. As of right now, I have constructed three palaces. If I may say so, they are magnificent." The king began to list them, looking as proud as a father naming his children. "Neuschwanstein, Hieren-"

"Neuschwansein, Hierenchiemsee, and Linderhof. I am aware," Holmes said.

The king looked annoyed. "Very well. Then you will be aware that they were very costly to construct and, though most of them are not finished, they are nonetheless complete enough to be extremely valuable. My cabinet wishes to turn them over to the state so they can charge admission for them. It was my intention to do just that upon my death. It would be extremely profitable for them to open them- I was foolish enough to mention that when defending my decision to construct my palaces."

"Why not wait until Your Majesty has come to the end of your natural lifespan?"

"I am still a young man. It may be many years until I die of natural causes. If I die sooner, they can begin making money sooner. In addition, having me killed now would be cheaper than providing for me for the rest of my life." The king's cynicism was astounding.

"Your enemies must indeed be ruthless if they wish to kill you only to make a few thousand more marks," said Holmes.

A hunted look came over the King's face. "Mr. Holmes, you cannot imagine what they are capable of. They already confined my poor younger brother Otto to an asylum." He paused. "You see how I am trapped- if I were to mention my suspicions, it would be taken as proof that I suffer from the same madness as my brother. I should be accused, undoubtedly, of having dementia praecox."

"Your Majesty is well-versed in psychiatric terminology," Holmes observed.

The King gave a bitter laugh. "How could I not be? I have heard a great deal of it recently, thanks to poor Otto's supposed illness."

Holmes paused, deep in thought. "I take it Your Majesty has not agreed to open your palaces now?" he asked at length.

"You are correct," said the king. "I have not."

Holmes looked as though he were beginning to lose interest again. "Why not? Surely that would solve the whole problem, to everyone's satisfaction."

"Hierenchiemsee and Neuschwanstein remain unfinished and my favorite, Linderhof, is too small to admit crowds of visitors. Certainly not while I am present." The king winced. In his look, I caught a glimpse of the stubborn obstinacy that had made him unpopular with his cabinet. "I have spent my entire life, from the cradle even, being stared at like a monkey playing the hurdy-gurdy. You cannot possibly understand what that is like. My great passion in life is music, but when I go to the opera I cannot even enjoy it because everyone gawks at me incessantly. I am constantly on display. It is intolerable. This secret expedition to London is the first time in my whole existence that I can remember going anywhere without being stared at. My palaces are the only place where I am not made into a spectacle."

A pensive look had come over Holmes' face.

"Mr. Holmes," the king continued, "I implore you to understand that I only wish to exist on my own terms. I wish merely to be left alone with my own thoughts."

I suspected this would strike a chord with my old friend, who similarly craved solitude and anonymity. And indeed it must have, for after a few moments, he said, "I shall travel to Neuschwanstein as soon as I have settled my affairs in Baker Street."

"Mr. Holmes, I am deeply grateful." The king paused. "Shall Dr. Watson be accompanying us?" I could see that he wished to keep the entourage as small as possible.

"Dr. Watson is essential," said Holmes.

"He is?"

"I am?"

Holmes smiled. "The presence at the castle an unknown Englishman like myself, especially during an uneasy interlude like this, would certainly raise questions. And if it was learnt that Your Majesty had hired a consulting detective, it would be taken as certain proof of Your Majesty's supposed madness- not to mention putting your enemies on their guard. But the presence of the well-respected English doctor Your Majesty has recently engaged, along with his humble medical secretary Mr. Holmes- or shall we call him Mr. Johnson?- now, that would not be any cause for concern."

The king's eyes lit up with sudden understanding, and he nodded vigorously. "Indeed."

"Fortunately, Watson's German is adequate for the role, I think," said Holmes.

It was not a question, but the king deigned to offer his corroboration of this assessment. "Yes. Very well, then all is settled," he said.

"Be sure to bring your trusty revolver, Watson," said Holmes. "But take care not to wave it about unless absolutely necessary."

Without having uttered a word during that whole discussion, I found myself spoken for, my presence engaged. To Neuschwanstein, therefore, we were to go.


	3. Chapter 3

We arrived on the eighth of June. Nothing could have prepared me for the extraordinary sight of Neuschwanstein Palace, perfectly situated atop a steep cliff amid Bavaria's magnificent mountains, and overlooking a clear blue lake. Though it was unfinished, with parts of it still little more than a bare frame flanked with scaffolding, it was nonetheless the most splendid prospect I had glimpsed seen in my life.

Built of gleaming white stone, and adorned with perfectly proportioned spires that jutted toward the sky, the castle looked like it had come straight from the pages of a book of fairy tales. With a little imagination, one could easily picture the court of Camelot riding through its gates. It was impossible to see it and not remark among His Majesty's excellent taste. One understood at once the deep pride he took in his palaces.

 _Updated December 23, 2015. Updates begin here._

Even Holmes admitted his appreciation, in his own fashion. "His Majesty has done very nicely for himself, eh, Watson?" he said with a low whistle.

However, the spell would not last long.

His Majesty, as planned, was not there to greet us. He and Holmes had agreed it would be too suspicious for a monarch to welcome his physician and assistant personally. Instead, an attendant was assigned to show us to our quarters.

We traversed corridors and stairways of almost unimaginable splendor, and glimpsed magnificent prospects of the Bavarian mountains through the windows, but these were alternated with gaps where the process of construction was still clearly visible. Scaffolding and boards with empty space between them were everywhere.

"Well, this is a pretty prospect indeed," said Holmes, laughing.

I could not be so lighthearted. In places, only a few feet separated us from the perilously steep Bavarian cliffs, with nothing but empty air for hundreds of feet beneath. There were no retaining-walls or safety-railings. If someone wanted to commit a murder, this was a perfect place for it to occur. I could only hope the King had engaged a trustworthy staff.

 _Chapter 3 to be continued_


End file.
